My Tomboy
by Shidoin
Summary: It's one lousy little Talent show...but could this be just what a certain someone needs to finally open up?
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own (in whole or part) Ranma, Akane or any of the other crazy fraggles from Ranma 1/2. I'm just a meer fan of Ranma, Akane and the...interesting love they have for eachother.

FYI: I am a fan but there is so much I don't know about the anime or manga...for reasons as these any friends from school will be played by names made up by me (though they'll play only minor roles) so please don't get on my case for it.

It's my very first fanfic and I'll do my best. Please comment, but try to refrain from flaming...I'm way to sensitive to handle that...ENJOY!

Chapter One --

Akane sat in her room trying to concentrate on her math homework with little to no success. Her mind kept wandering back to school during one of the principals predictable and yet unexpected assembly that was announced in the middle of lunch.  
To make a long story short the principal had started new tradition/rule stating that one class would put on a talent show for community in one weeks time. Of course Akane's class had been pre chosen and though there was much screaming and arguing... in the end (at the fear of what haircuts the principal might force upon them) the studends were forced to agree to their fate.

Akane thought about the uproar and took mental note in her mind that (far from the norm) Ranma had just sat there during the whole assembly (and she would've expected he was asleep if not for the fact that he actually seemed to be contemplating something.  
'How could that jerk not try to do something about this? It's just not like him!' Akane thought to herself. However she quickly shrugged it off knowing that she still had most of her homework to do and getting it done nowhere fast.

Meanwhile...

Ranma sat up on the roof above the room which he still shared with his father Genma. He'd seen the perplexed look on Akane's face as he sat there taking in everything that Principal Kuno was saying and demanding...of his class no less. Just to Ranma this (for whatever reason) was a demand that didn't seem too radical or impulsive. In fact he had already started to come up with ideas for what he might do for the show.

"Get down here boy! You're in desperate need of training!" Genma yelled from down by the pond. "Look at you pondering up there! Just like a girl!"

'Ah geeze...when is the old man gonna get over himself'"Alright pop!" Ranma taunted, "but don't say you didn't have fair warning!"

Some short time later we find Ranma (female now...but standing victoriously) over an unconscious panda who was once the man Genma.

Akane had finally managed to finish her last problem and thought about maybe starting in on one of her reading assignments, but in the end decided that her head was too clouded to attempt at anything else just yet. She knew that dinner would undoubtedly be soon so she decided to lie down on the bed and rest her eyes.  
'Hmmm...I suppose if I actually have to go through with this I should try to come up with something to do other than just stand there and breath...damn, that maniac could've given us a little more notice though!'

She didn't see Ranma quietly hanging upside down outside her window...deciding not to have disturbed her when he saw that she was resting.

In the kitchen Kasumi was cooking some Japanese meal that involved vegatables of sorts and pork buns. As she made various items with various ingredients she made a point to write her progress down in a small notebook on the counter. Just the starts of something she thought she might give her little sister and future brother-in-law someday.  
Once dinner was ready and the table was set she called her (very large) family to dinner.

"Dinner looks great, Kasumi!" chimed Soun. "That's my little homemaker!"

"Here here!" pipped in a now man again Genma. "It's a good thing that at least someone who goes into that kitchen brings out food that's edib..."

A very red Akane stands in the doorway not needing Genma to finish his sentence. It's no secret that Akane's own cooking is at best something that should be expirimented in some science lab. Still...she was trying to be better and constantly hearing about how she was far from good enough to cook for the family was really aggrivating for her.

"Now now, Mr Saotome..." Kasumi's voice was soft and motherly...just like Akane has always remembered it. "You know that the only way Akane is going to get better and make a good wife someday is if she has the full love and support from her family...not matter how long it takes her to catch on!"

Akane was still red but smiled inwardly at her sisters kindness.

At last the whole family had sat down to dinner with Ranma and Akane sitting next to one another.

"So," said Soun finally aiming to break the silence, "I heard at a town meeting last night that one of the classes at school will be putting on a show for the town next week! Some kind of talent based show, isn't it? Have you kids heard anything about it yet?"

Ranma was the one who spoke. "Yeah, Principal Kuno announed it this afternoon and it's our class that is going to be involved so now Akane and I both gotta come up with something to do."

Genma and Soun both had mischevious looks on their faces while contemplating all the possibilities of the situation.

"A romantic duet!" Yelled Soun as Genma began to dance on the spot.

"Aye, Tendo! What better way to make their relationship offical and public once and for all!"

Akane was red again. "Please dad...don't make this worse than it already is. I'm still mad that I have to do this in the first place, and singing with Ranma isn't something that I'm open to! I'll figure something else out..." She trailed off quietly taking note that Ranma had never put in his pitch about wanting nothing to do with performing with Akane.

"I've got some ideas for what to do already." Ranma finally spoke though his face remained a closed book."Which reminds me...I think I'm going to see if Mom will take me in at her place for a few days. If I'm going to make any attempt at this without humiliating myself I think I'll need to practice away from all the commotion here..."

Not much was said after that point and Ranma was gone before breakfast the next morning.

'That baka...' thought Akane as she walked to school alone, 'Honestly...how important could this be to him to actually take time away...literally just to prepare for it?' She quickly shrugged it off as she approached the gates to Furinkan High.

Tatewaki: That is without doubt the worst fan fic I've read in my entire life! My sweet ferocious Akane Tendo was forced to have way too much story time with the foul sorcerer, Saotome!  
Shidoin: Well...Kuno...this is a Ranma Akane fanfic...what did you expect?  
Tatewaki: Well, you should've had me charge in at the second paragraph and save my poor Akane from the evil.  
Akane: And just who asked you to save me from anybody?! -kicks Kuno into oblivion-  
Akane again: Seriously though...a talent show? That's the best story line you could come up with for us? I REALLY have no idea what to do!  
Shidoin: Hey this is just a start to what I'm hoping will be a really good story...and don't judge just yet.

Well, that's it for chapter one! I hope that if you didn't overly enjoy it that it at least didn't cause you to run in terror. Please note again that this is my very FIRST attempt at writing any sort of fan fiction of any kind and while I do accept constructive critisism and suggestions, flaming is just mean and will likely make me cry and give up forever...so please don't do it! 


	2. Chapter Two

Ranma 1/2 is owned by someone other than myself... if I did own it believe me...these 2 would have been together loooooong ago...

My Tomboy Chapter Two: Moving out, Good or Bad?

School went pretty much the same as usual adding the chitter chatter from the class about the upcoming show. There were girls voices talking about doing different talents and skits, while the guys wondered what they could do and not seem lame...while at the same time discussing how cute the girls were going to look in their little outfits.

Ranma was sitting at his desk with his eyes closed, seemingly pondering something. Akane wondered if he'd just fallen asleep (as was his norm during school hours), but he actually seemed to be focused on something. She couldn't help but be extremely curious. After all...if Ranma was actually putting this much thought into one little stupid talent show there was no way she was going to be shown up by the likes of him!

'Okay, Ranma', she said to herself 'If that's the way you wanna play then I accept your challenge!'

Ranma opened his eyes briefly enough to catch a fiery gaze from Akane pointed directly at him. It wasn't anger in her eyes, but there was definitely passion behind it. He closed his eyes not wanting to look too much into her eyes. Not that they weren't beautiful...but he knew that even the smallest distraction might make him lose every ounce of nerve he had and back down. After all, this was a completely random thing and what had given him the sudden urge to put himself on the line like this? He had no idea.

Later at lunch...

"So, Ran-chan! I hear that you've left the Tendo household!" said Ukyo (while making lunch for Ranma who had again forgotten his). "I know there was talk about you taking time away to get ready for the talent show...I gotta tell you though, I think it might be good if this was a more permanent situation. After all..." she blushed a bit, "if you and I are going to be husband and wife someday...it's really not right that you are living under the same roof as another woman."

Ranma felt a drop of sweat on his forehead.

"First of all U-chan, I never agreed to marry anyone, and secondly who told you I had moved out to prepare for the show?"

Ukyo cocked her head to one side, "A bunch of people in class were talking about it, silly! Do you really never pay attention to your surroundings?" She giggled a bit.

'Is my life broadcast somewhere? Has someone managed to plant cameras at every single location I'd ever be at?' Ranma tried wrapping his mind around his privacy issue...or lack there of.

His mind was put (somewhat) at ease when he caught a familiar face walking towards him. Nabiki.

'Aaaaaah!' It was amazing at how Ranma could still praise himself for figuring out the most obvious things. 'Nabiki told everyone! Of course!' Why wouldn't Nabiki use Ranma's temporary leave from the Tendo residence as a way to somehow make money!

Nabiki used no preliminaries.

"So, Ranma...I noticed how quick you were to just up and leave our house yesterday." She cocked an eyebrow at him "I just haven't decided yet if your reasons behind it are good or bad.", she said eyeing him suspiciously.

"And what exactly does it matter to you what my reasons are?" Ranma was getting a bit defensive.

"You dope! Are you completely dense?! Do you have any idea what kind of bets I already have people begging to get in on? And how can I know the best rout to take that will be the most profitable if I don't know what's going on in that thick skull of yours?!"

He couldn't believe it. She was actually turning this around to a situation where HE was the one inconveniencing HER. Typical. Just typical.

As Ranma turned to leave, "Look, Nabiki I already told you...if I gotta do this dumb show I don't need a bunch of people distracting me. It's gonna be bad enough as it is having to perform in front of all those people"

'In front of Akane..." he thought...but naturally kept that part to himself.

After school...

Akane still couldn't decide what she should do for the talent show and she knew that she really didn't have all that much time to decide. She finally decided that she'd probably just fall back on something she knew she could do well. Either gymnastics or martial arts. Her mind was quickly made up on gymnastics as she figured that Ranma would probably cover the martial arts and didn't want to take it from him when he was obviously putting a lot into this. It was decided then. She would go through all her music and find a good song to make a good floor routine to. That shouldn't be too difficult!

At Nodoka's house...

Ranma's mother really didn't know what her son had in mind. He had seemed pretty intent on really keeping it to himself so she didn't push it. Occasionally she did almost think she could here the faint strum a guitar floating down the stairs...but that could have been just her imagination.

AN: Shidoin: Well, I think that's it for chapter two...I've decided that with this being my first fic I'm going to probably only have 2 or 3 more chapters and just have the whole thing based on this one event.  
Ryoga: Can you have Akane and me together in only a few more chapters? I mean...there's still so much you have to cover before then!  
Ranma: Like what exactly "P-chan"  
Ryogo: Shut up, Ranma!! You're lucky Akane's not around!  
Shidoin: :smacks forehead: Um...Ryoga...you do realize that I'm a 100 percent RanAka fan, right?  
Ryoga: :Sweat drops: You mean.  
Shidoin: Yeah...the chance that I'll ever put the two of you together is slim to none...closer to the side of none.  
:Ryoga slumps off into the distance feeling once again sorry for himself:  
Shidoin: Well, I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! Please feel free to leave comments, but do take into consideration that it's still my first fic and I'm going to be far from perfect...so please...no flames. It's just mean. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Know this! I do not own Ranma 1/2 (or anyone associated with him for that matter)! I'm nothing more than a fan who's chosen to write my own version of Ranma, Akane & their relationship...**

**Chapter 3 : The Talent Show And The Unexpected**

Akane wore a yellow leotard and held a stick with a long flowing (matching) yellow ribbon in her hand. She stood looking in the mirror hanging in her bedroom and couldn't help but feel extremely anxious about having the night be done and over with.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she scowled at her reflection. "And just when have you ever been one to run away from a challenge...importantly when have you ever admitted that Ranma could do something you couldn't?"

"Ah, now that might be true in most cases, but I'm sure you'll do fine tonight!" Akane turned to see Ranma hanging outside her bedroom window...a position he'd taken to using frequently after upseting her and she'd retired to her room.

"If you're trying to upset me by saying that I'm not as good as you it's not going to work!" Akane tried to sound confident but her voice was slightly more quiet than she'd wanted. "I'm just trying to find my motivation for tonight...incase you haven't noticed I find this whole thing to be a waste of time, and honestly, I'd think that you would too."

He pondered her comment for a few moments and responded, "Eh...I just figure that this is a chance for me to do a little more showing off and show then world that I'm good at more than just martial arts."

"You mean you're not doing martial arts?!" Akane almost fell over one because of her two options she would have opted for martial arts over the gymnastics, and two at the thought that she had chosen to fall back onto something familiar when Ranma was trying out something different for a change.

Akane didn't have time to think about it anymore as it was clearly too late to switch what she was going to perform. Besides...she had worked hard to come up with a good floor routine and honestly, she was proud of what she'd managed to come up with.

"See you at dinner then!" Ranma smiled and was gone from her window in the blink of an eye.

'Sometimes I still can't believe how fast he is...' Akana thought to herself. Then she gave herself one last check in the mirrow adjusted her hair slightly and walked down stairs to the dining table.

The plan for the evening had been to have an early dinner with the whole family (including Ranma and his mother). After which Ranma and Akane would leave for the school early to prep themselves along with other students from their grade, and the rest of the family would follow along a bit later and closer to when the show was to start.

Moment after the two left the house and were safely out of site the questions finally began.

"Alright Mrs. Saotome...time to spill" Nabiki showed no preliminaries. "What is Ranma doing tonight that he had to be so secretive as to move out of the house. I swear though she'd never admit it, I think Akane's been going crazy without him around...although that could just be that she sees him as competion and not knowing what she's up against"

Nodoka took a sip of tea that she had helped Kasumi to serve moments earlier. "Honestly, my son never came straight out and told me what he had in mind for tonight...and I'm sure he has his reasons" she paused a moment while curious eyes continued to focus on her. "Although...call it a mother's intuition...but I really do believe that Ranma may surprise us tonight..."

**At the school**

Ranma was in the boys locker room and grabbed the guitar that he'd managed to sneak in a couple nights prior.

'_This is it, Ranma'_, he thought to himself, '_after tonight there'll be no more secrets...no more pretending_.' He felt his face turn red but quickly shook it off. The worst case scenario would be that she wouldn't feel the same way in which case he'd probably leave town to make her more comfortable.

**In the Gymnasium**

Families had began filing onto the gym and the seats were quickly feeling up. There was a lot of loud conversation amongst those parents who were there with children waiting nervously behind the curtain..waiting to make them proud.

It didn't take too much time for Ranma's and Akane's families to find a place not too far from the stage that had enough seats together to fit the lot of them and they made themselves comfortable. Nabiki (having seen Akane in her get-up at dinner) was ready with camera in hand. She even made sure to splurge on the best camera she could find with an awesome zoom mode. After all...she figured that the funds she'd recieve for these pictures would more than pay for the camera itself...and it was a good time to upgrade anyway.

Before too long the lights dimmed and the audience fell silent and the spot of the spotlight up on stage where Principal Kuno stood.

"Welcome to da families of all da lovely studends we have here!" The principal bellowed, not really needing to use the microphone that was in front of him. "We be going to put on a very good show for you tonight so sit back, relax and enjoy our first annual talent show!!"

Things started off rather as expected with students coming on stage one by one as they were announced and performing their skills for their families and anyone else from town who'd decided to show up...likely from lack of anything else to do that evening.

Ukyo, a girl who Ranma was supposedly in a way engaged to through an arrangement made by his father (much like his engagement to Akane) had the roof coming off its hinges with her applaus with the routine she'd come up with while surrounded by five or six grills. The loudest applause of course had come from the small handful of people that she'd asked to come up as assistance who now were holding fabulous plates of okonamiyaki (yeah, I have zero idea how to spell that, so I apologize greatly). With a bow she walked off the stage to the right and members of the drama tech wheeled the grills off after her.

The applause continued through out the night and it was obvious where the families of each studend was by where the loundest cheers came from after each perfomance.

Soon it was Akane's turn and she could hear her family (particularly her father) going absolutely nuts as she made her way out to the center of the stage. She took her beginning pose and within moments the music she had selected and gotten to sound began. This was it. She ran throught the routine she'd come up with involving the ribbon to help with movement flow better with the music. Unkown to anyone in the audience...off at the edge of the stage and behind the curtain, two eyes were on Akane and it was doubtful even if there hadn't been bright lights shining down on the stage that he would have seen the audience beyond. It was just her. _Her._

Ranma came quickly back to his senses, knowing that he couldn't let himself feel too macho and back out from what he was about to do...but also knowing that if got too weak in the knees that he's also never go through with it.

He heard the music faint away to nothing and looked up to see Akane taking her final pose awaiting her fate from the audience. Much to her happiness (but not too much to her surprise..she felt great about her perfomance) she'd recieved applause that came close to (if not surpassed) those that Ukyo had brought in. She smiled to herself. It didn't matter what Ranma did now or whether or not it was better than her. She was truly happy and nothing could make this night any better or worse.

Of course she was wrong on **one** of those accounts...

A few more studends came out to the joy and applause of their crazed families and all in all the whole thing seemed to be going well.

At long last the name of Saotome Ranma was called out once again to thundrous applause...the crowd quickly quieted though after seeing that not only was Ranma not wearing the gi that most of the town had expected him to wear for his performance, but he was holding what actually looked to be a guitar case! A lot of jaws dropped, although none quite so much as one Nabiki Tendo.

Ranma stepped up to the microphone after having pulled what was indeed a guitar out of the case.

"Ahem...could um...could Akane Tendo please come onto the stage to help me please?" he managed to get out without sounding too broken up.

He motioned for her to sit on the stool that had been placed there at his request for his performance and she did looking quite perplexed.

'_Just what are you up to, Ranma?_' Akane was curious as well as nervous, but at the same time excited.

Ranma then turned back to his microphone and positioned himself so that he was facing Akane. Putting his hand over the mic for a moment so that only she could hear him he said, "Please don't hate me for this..."

He moved his hand and began stumming his guitar...and then he started singing. His voice seeming to put Akane in a transe. The poor girl didn't know what hit her...

_If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?_

_If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?_

_If you are not mine than why does your heart return my call_

_If you are not mine would i have the strength to stand at all_

_I never know what the future brings_

_But i know you are here with me now_

_We'll make it through_

_And i hope you are the one i share my life with.._

_I don't want to run away but i can't take it,i don't understand_

_I i'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that i am?_

_Is there any way that i can stay in your arms?_

_ If i don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?_

_If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?_

_if you're not for me then why do i dream of you as my wife?_

_I dont know why you're so far away_

_But i know that this much is true_

_We'll make it through_

_And i hope you are the one i share my life with_

_And i wish that you could be the one i die with_

_And i pray in you're the one i build my home with_

_i hope i love you all my life_

_I don't want to run away but i can't take it,i don't understand_

_I i'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that i am?_

_Is there any way that i can stay in your arms?_

_'cause i miss you,body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away_

_And i breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today_

_Cause i love you,whether it's wrong or right_

_And though i can't be with you tonight_

_And i know my heart is by your side_

_I don't want to run away but i can't take it,i don't understand_

_I i'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that i am?_

_Is there any way that i can stay in your arms?_

Ranma let his voice fade away at the last phrase and it was unkown to him or Akane if the audience was applauding or not as they were completely entranced in eachother's gaze. Ranma could see tears flowing slowly down Akanes face as he looked at her. Was that good? Was it bad? The curiousity was killing him but he didn't let himself lose the gaze he had with her. This was it. He knew when he decided to do this that he was taking a huge risk and he was ready to face whatever happened now.

Finally after what seemed like a lifetime Akane stood up off the stool and walked slowly towards him with them not taking their eyes off eachother. Without looking away from him Akane grabbed the microphone of the stand Ranma had been using and held it to her chest for a few moments while looking in his eyes.

The audience had grown silenty by this point and a good deal of them were from the school and knew that what had just happened was a very big thing.

Akane finally found what she had been looking for deep in her heart and still looking at Ranma sighed deeply and with that she kneeled in front of him.

"Ranma..." she began, her voice quivering a bit, "since the day I met you...you've done...absolutely everything for me...and I never let myself see it."

Ranma's eyes began to water a bit and he didn't bother to try to hide it...

"Not only did I not see it...but I treated you like you were nothing...I judged you and I tormented you, and I called you unfair names." She took another breath and began again "but I don't want to pretend anymore, Ranma...I don't want to take something else that you've found in your heart to do for me and turn it into something you should be blaimed for...starting to cry I...I can't lie anymore Ranma and I don't care who hears it. I ... love you! I love you more than I could ever imagine loving anyone else in my whole life...and...and...Ranma, please...marry me?"

The gasp could have been heard all throughout town and the following silence was defening.

Ranma just stood there with tears flowing now more freely down his cheeks, and unable to keep himself in a standing position he also came down to his knees facing her.

"Akane..."he began and his hand made its way to her right cheek and wiped a tear away "...you are such an uncute Tomboy..." Akane's gazed drifted down only to have Ranma pull her back up to look into his eyes. "and I will never ever...love another person as much as I love you."

New tears swelled up in Akane's eyes uncontrollably and Ranma was barely able to make out the "Oh you Baka!" before he had pulled her into a deep embrace and kiss. Suddenly it was as if the two of them were on a cloud of air. Everything else was completely forgotten. The fact that they were currently on a stage in front of the whole town was a distance memory. The two just stayed there in eachothers arms and let their lips make up for such a long time of fighting and denial.

In the audience two particular fathers had broken out a bottle of Sake (yeah...howd they get into the school with **that**?) and a (surprisingly) not so upset Nabiki couldn't help but smile..having also let a few tears of her own fall. She was sure she could find some other way to make back the money she'd spent on the camera. Right now she just couldn't help but get lost in how happy the two up on the stage seemed to be.

Our story comes to an end with the one and only Kasumi Tendo with the regular calming and soothing look she always bore (although if it was possible her smile was even bigger today...)

'Well, mother..."she thought silently to herself, "I've done what you asked...I've taken care of Akane as if I was her mother...but she has Ranma now...and I know he'll love her as much as you could ever hope for your little girl.'

A tear fell silently down her cheek.

**THE END**

**Shidoin:** Well, I'd like to apologize that this story wasn't better..and also that I only used 3 chapters to finish up. Actually by this last chapter I was feeling very frustrated with it so I decided to get it finished up in one whack. I'd like to think it's not too horrible though...especially for being my first fan fic ever.

**Tatewaki:** Lies! All lies! I, Tatewaki Kuno would never have allowed such a performance to play out!

**Shidoin:** Which would be the very reason why I opted to basically just forget your existance for this story. (Yes, I realize that there was really no competion for affection the whole story...but being my first I wanted to focus on really just Ranma and Akane...and I hope no one minds too much)

Please let me know if you at least enjoyed the overall storyline I came up with and also if you think that I should maybe try my hand at another fan fic sometime...I think I'd try to put more thought into it, but it's something I wouldn't mind trying again if you think I'm up to it :smiles:


End file.
